1. Do you agree that we should bring British soldiers back from Afghanistan now?
The military strategy in Afghanistan has failed, and is making the problem worse.  Genuine diplomacy and peace building are long overdue. The Nato offensive must be halted immediately, with the aim of agreeing a ceasefire, and enabling foreign troops to withdraw.

2. Are you opposed to the Trident replacement?
One of the main reasons I joined the Green Party many years ago was its total opposition to the possession of nuclear weapons and I am pleased to say that opposition has never wavered.  Not only should we be cancelling the trident replacement and using its multi-billion pound price tag to improve public services, we should decommission immediately the existing trident fleet, and stop using the threat of genocide as an instrument of policy.

3. Will you call for an immediate end to the siege of Gaza?
The illegal blockade of Gaza is an atrocity and I certainly call for its immediate end.   I agree with Richard Falk, UN Special Rapporteur when he says that "Israel 's allies must demand, with a commitment reinforced by a credible threat of economic sanctions, that Israel immediately end its illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip". The Goldstone Report's recommendations with respect to war crimes should also be implemented fully and swiftly.

4. How will you help stop the tide of anti Muslim hatred?
Both Government and the mass media play on the idea of an Islamic threat in this country.  We have seen waves of arrests on the flimsiest of evidence and the recent draconian sentences against people protesting against Israeli aggression in Gaza. And here in Withington constituency we've seen the vile desecration of Muslim graves. I will to stand up to the vilification of Muslims and other minorities in the media, and to work with communities to build better relations.  I will also campaign to stop our policies in the Middle East which have led to the radicalisation of some elements in the Islamic community.

5. How will you strengthen our right to protest?
The past couple of decades have seen a tide of legislation which has restricted the right to legitimate protest. I will fight to reverse this tide, against laws that curtail our freedom of speech, our right to free assembly and our right to protest.
I will also campaign for a change in Police practices from the confrontational approach seen at Climate Camps, and the G20
demonstration in London which resulted in the tragic death of Ian Tomlinson.

Kind Regards

Brian Candeland
Green Party PPC, Manchester Withington